As Mzansi gets ready to vote, we wanted to celebrate the exceptional facts about South Africa you didn’t know. So, when you’re in that long queue tomorrow, deciding how to vote for the future of our country, just remember that we live in a pretty spectacular place …
TEN FACTS ABOUT SOUTH AFRICA YOU DIDN’T KNOW
- 1. South Africa is the only country in the world to have hosted the Rugby, Cricket and Football World Cups.
- 2. Mzansi is the only country in the world to have had two Nobel Peace Prize laureates living on the same street. This refers to Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu living on Vilakazi Street in Johannesburg’s Soweto township.
- 3. The country is home to the oldest meteor scar in the world, the Vredefort Dome. Two-billion years ago a meteor roughly the size of Table Mountain hit the earth not far from where the Freestate town stands today. It is a World Heritage Site.
- 4. South Africa is the only country in the world to have voluntarily dismantled its nuclear weapons program. This took place near the end of the apartheid era. All bombs (six constructed and one under construction) were dismantled as we acceded to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in 1991.
GEOLOGICAL WONDERS
5. Bloukrans Bridge Bungee on the Garden Route is the highest commercial bungee jump in the world.
6. South Africa is home to the world’s largest diamond, the Cullinan Diamond, which was cut into the Great Star of Africa and the Lesser Star of Africa.
7. South Africa is the only country in the world to have three capital cities: Pretoria (executive), Bloemfontein (judicial), and Cape Town (legislative).
8. Affectionally known as the ‘groot gat’ did you know that the Kimberley Mine is in fact the world’s largest hand-dug mine? Another fact about South Africa you didn’t know …
9. This is one of those facts about South Africa you almost certainly do know, but South Africa is home to the most official languages of any nation in the world. The country has 12, including Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English, with Sign Language added in 2023.
- 10. South Africa is the only country in the world to have an entirely unique floral ecosystem – the Cape Floral Kingdom – within its borders. Our proteas and fynbos are so world renowned they recently won awards at the 2024 Chelsea Flower Show.
HAVE YOUR SAY
What do you think of these facts about South Africa you didn’t know? Are there any we’ve missed? Be sure to share your thoughts with our audience in the comments section below. And don’t forget to follow us @TheSANews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest updates. Click the links below to check out trending stories in the last 24 hours on our website …
